Rock-drill.



PATENTED AUG. 1i

P. HIGGINS. ROCK DRILL.

APPLICATION FILED 00126, 1902.

no MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented August 11, 1903.

PATTILLO HIGGINS, OF `BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

ROCK-balm..

sPncIFmATIoNrerming part of Letters Patent No. 735,767, dated August 11,1903.

Application led October 6,1902- Serial No. 126.188. (No model.) i

T0 all whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, PATTILLo HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beaumont, in the county of Jefferson and State of- TeXas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rock-Drills, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for d rilling and boring deep wellsfor oil, water, or gas,

the purpose being to simplify, cheapen, and

hasten the operation of penetrating rock fora deep well is materiallylessened.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction,and combination of the parts which hereinafter will be more fullydescribed and iinally claimed; and for this mation, whereby as a resultthe cost of drilling vpurpose and also to acquire a knowledge of themerits of the invention andthe structural details of the means wherebythe results are attained reference is to be had to the appendeddescription and the drawings hereto attached.

While the essentialand characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel'is a vertical central section of the drill-barrel, lower end of thetubular drill-rod, and the separator and guide-head, showing the to inthe following description and indicated in all the views of the drawingsbythe same reference characters. l Y i The drill l is provided at itsupper end with a stem 2, whose upper portion is reduced and threaded, asshown at 3, for the reception of a collar 4 and jam-nuts 5, the lattersecurely confining the collar 4e against the shoulder formed at the baseof the reduced terminal portion 3. diameter, and weight, depending uponthe of the drill.

The drill may be of any length,

character of the Work, and its point 6 maybe integral or detachable, thelatter construction admitting of a variety of points being used inconnection with the drill-body, the joint be- 'tween the point andthedrill-body being of substantial formation, so as to withstand the workand strain to which the tool is subjected when in use. The collar flconstitutes a stop, and the shoulder 7 at the-base of the shank 2constitutes a second stop, and these stops determine the relative playor eective stroke The part ofthe drill-point adj a cent to the body ofthe drill is made tapering,

'as shown at 8, so as to offer the least resistance to the passage ofthe 'Water employed for washing out the particles of stone and the likeresulting from boring or drilling through the rock formation.

The drill-barrel 9 is of less diameter than the drill-point, so as toleave an annular space between it and the wall of the well or bore forthe outiiow of the water and drillings. The

barrel is of a length to receive the body portion of the drill and admitof reciprocation of the same therein. A space l0 is formed between thedrill and the drill-barrel for the passage of the water employed forflushing the well, so as to carry off the loose particles. A collar 1lvis fitted to the lower end of the drill-barrelvand its lower end isthickened and inwardly flanged to form a reinforcement which underlapsthe end of the said barrel 9, an annular space 12 being provided betweenthe thickened portion of the collar and the drill for the escape of thewater used in ush= ing the Well during the drilling operation. Thedrill-barrel maybe a single tube or comprise a number of tubes orsections coupled together by sleeves 13 or other means.

The drill-rod 14 is tubular and may be comi posedof any number ofsections coupled together in any determinate vway to' admit oflengthening and shortening thedrill-rod, as

nmay be required. The 4drill-rod is coupled to the drill-barrel in anyselected Way, preferably by means of the device shown, which performsthe double oflice of a separator and guide, the same consisting of ahead or plug l5, centrally apertured at 16 to receive the shank 2 andhaving a series of openings 17 around the central opening 1G for thepassage of the water from the drill-rod into the drill- IOO barrel. Thecentral portion of the part 15 has an annular enlargement 18 of adiameter to come iiush with the outer sides of the coupling-sleeves 19,connecting the end portions of the part 15 with the adjacent ends of thedrill-rod and drill-barrel. The extremities of of the part l abutagainst the ends of the respective partsM and 9, and the terminalportions above and below the annual enlargement are exteriorly threadedto receive the coupling-sleeves 19, by means of which the drillrod, part15, and drill-barrel are connected.

A well-drilling apparatus embodying the invention is adapted to beoperated by the usual actuating mechanism, whereby the drill is elevatedthe required distance and released,

so as to instantly fall and deliver the full force of the blow upon therock formation to be pierced. In the present instance the operating ropeor cable is adapted to be connected with the drill-rod, and the latterwhen elevated lifts the drill by contact of the part 15 with the collaror stop 4L. The downward movement of the drill-rod is gaged so as toprevent jar thereto by contact of the part 15 with the shoulder 7. Wateris supplied to the drill-rod from any suitable source by means of ahose-pipe, which is coupled to the upper end of the drill-rod, and thewater passes from the drill-rod into the drill-barrel through theopening 17 of the separator and guide-head 15 and after passing aroundthe drill through the annular space 10 escapes from the barrel throughthe annular space 12 and floods the well and carries olf the drillings,thereby facilitating the work, as it is not necessary to remove thedrill to clear the well of the fragments or particles of detached rock.The

stroke of the drill may be regulated to a certain extent by slippingwashers upon the shank 2 below the part 15, as shown at 20.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. Inwell-drilling apparatus, the combination of a drill-barrel, a plugarranged within the drill-barrel and provided with a guide andintercommunicating openings, a drill slidably mounted within the barreland spaced from the inner walls thereof, and having a shank fitted inthe guide-opening of the plug, and stops at the ends of the shank forengagement with opposite ends of the aforementioned plug in alternation,the distance between said stops being regulable to vary the slidingmovement between the drill and drill-barrel, substantially as described.

2. In well-drilling apparatus, the combination of a drill-barrel, atubular drill-rod, a plug connecting the two and having a guide andother openings, a drill slidable within the said barrel and spaced fromthe inner walls thereof, and having a shank fitted in the guideopeningof the plug, a collar at the upper end of the said shank an d washersremovably fitted upon the lower end of said shank, substantially asspeciied.

3. In well-drilling apparatus, the combination of a drill-barrel,tubular drill-rod, a drill mounted for reciprocal movement within thebarrel and having a shank provided at opposite ends with stops, acombined separator and guide interposed between the extremities of therod and barrel and having its middle portion formed with an annularenlargement, and coupling-sleeves connecting the end portions of saidseparator andrguide with the adjacent ends of the said rod and barrel,the said separator and guide having a central opening to receive theshank of the drill and other openings for the passage of water from thedrill-rod to the drill-barrel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IATTILLO HIGGINS. [n s] Witnesses:

W. M. CROOK, C. R. KENUM.

